Is it after my chickens or my pigeons?

[silkies4ever]

Ok, I have a bird of prey problem.

My 10 hens have a pen, but I allow them to free range during the day and they get lock down at night.

Well, I also have a flock of close to 20 pigeons in one of the pens.

I heard my pigeons suddenly all take off and I went out to see this small to medium sized hawk banging right into the chicken wire on my pen. It hit it hard and landed awkwardly on the fence with it's wings spread out. I went out and shoed it away and proceeded with a lockdown to get all my chickens (who were taking cover) back in the pens.

How here's the funny thing....My blind chicken was standing right in the middle of the yard, practically acting as bait for the hawk. But the hawk didn't bother it.

I think this hawk is after my pigeons, not my chickens. What do you think?

Also, I guess this thing is going to come back since it's seen food here once (which means poor Ringo has to stay in the pens for her own safety being as she can't see). Is there anything I can do to kind of ward it off? I've heard of hanging CD's...Does this work? Will it bother my pigeons if I hang it on the side of their flight pen?

 

[Matt A NC]

Hawks love pigeons. If they have a pick they seem to go for the pigeon.

I keep a flock of mixed pigeons to keep the local hawk away from my chickens. I know some think it is cruel, and I completely understand. I try not to get attached to the pigeons, my chickens are a very different story. The pigeons have 2 protected coops they can retreat into, but they are still free to fly when they want. The hawk hasn't taken a single chicken since I have had the pigeons here. For the last 4 months he hasn't managed to get a pigeon either. I did see him hit a Sparrow and carry it off in 1 foot about 2 weeks ago.

Matt
Morganton, NC

 

[silkies4ever]

That's an intersting idea.

My pigeons are always penned though (and I am quite attatched to several of them lol). I guess that still attracts the attention away from my chickens though. I'd hate for the hawk to get hurt diving right into the chicken wire like that, but don't want it to take my chickens either.

I haven't seen it since, so maybe that little traumatic event made it decide to look for food elsewhere cause my pigeons hurt lol.

 

[TxChiknRanchers]

Quote:
This is the first helping idea since the one about the garden hose squirter.

So folks get some pigeons at least they can fly and have a better chance than the chickens!

randy

edited to say thanks Matt!!

 

[SpottedCrow]

There's a guy the next street on the corner over from me and he has racing pigeons and until just these past few months, the juvenile RedTail has been eating them and not bothering Obelisk and Penny. Guess he needed a change...
Most predators hunt by sight, so if your girl was standing still he might not have thought that she was a food item.

 

[Pidgey104]

I have pigeons and chickens too. I have a little melin after my pigeons. They are in a protected pen with chicken wire on top. He ended up deheading serval. I hate them hawks. He's too little to get my chickens though.

 

[HobbyChickener]

I have heard that one of those fake owls will help keep the hawk out, but you have to be sure that you move it daily. I knew a guy that had a similar problem but the hawk made the mistake of perching in a tree within close distance of his house and then it must have had a heart attack. It fell out of the tree dead and the chickens lived happily ever after.

 

[Pidgey104]

Quote:

thats funny

 

[Berynn]

One thing that i learned from this sight, is that never take a chance with you chickens, especially when it cimes to hawks. I think that they will take what ever they can get. I will never let my hens free range again. I was told by my feed store that a hawk couldn't get my chicks when yhey were two monts old, boy was he wrong

 

[Hotwings]

I am not a great authority on birds of prey but some have different hunting habits some may swoop down and kill prey that way and others will kill prey while in flight. Your blind bird by not moving may have not triggered the hunting prey. You be amazed at alot of predators that have been stumped when their prey refuses to flee or fight back. Like them or not birds of prey have their benefits i.e. they are a welcome sight at airports as flocks of wild birds can cause plane accidents. I work nearby our local airport and have seen a hawk hanging around.